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Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa hands over baton of command to Gen Asim Munir

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  • Gen Asim Munir becomes 17th COAS of Pakistan.
  • Gen Bajwa hands over command to Gen Asim Munir in ceremony at GHQ.
  • General Bajwa presented guard of honour for last time as COAS.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday handed over the command of the Pakistan Army to his successor Gen Asim Munir in a ceremony held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

With the change of command, Gen Munir has become the 17th army chief of the Pakistan Army when Gen Bajwa handed over the baton to him.

Before handing over the command, Gen Bajwa, in his last address, congratulated his successor Gen Asim Munir for being promoted to the four star rank and as the head of the army.

“I have full faith that under his leadership army will reach new heights and his appointment will prove to be a positive for the country,” said Gen Bajwa. He added that he was happy to know that he was retiring by handing the army to an able officer like Gen Munir. 

Gen Bajwa said that his journey in the army started 44 years ago and has ended today. 

“I am thankful to Allah that he not only gave me an opportunity to work in the courageous and great army but also honoured me to command this army,” he said.

Appreciating the Pakistan Army, Gen Bajwa said that his prayers will always be with it in difficult times. 

“I am proud that the army protects the borders from Siachen to Thar despite having limited resources,” he added.

Gen Bajwa said that the army defends regardless of language, colour, caste and religion.

“I will soon go into oblivion, but the spiritual connection will always remain with the army,” said General Bajwa. 

Earlier, General Bajwa was presented guard of honour for the last time as the chief of army staff during the ceremony.

The change of command ceremony marks the time-honoured tradition that symbolises the seamless transition of military leadership.

The ceremony was attended by the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza and chiefs of the armed forces. It was also attended by senior serving and retired military officers with their families.

Chief ministers, federal ministers, secretaries and foreign military officers deployed at embassies were also present at the ceremony.

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the Yadgar-e-Shuhda for the last time as chief of army staff with his successor Gen Asim Munir during a ceremony at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, on November 29, 2022. — Screengrab/PTV
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the Yadgar-e-Shuhda for the last time as chief of army staff with his successor Gen Asim Munir during a ceremony at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, on November 29, 2022. — Screengrab/PTV

Before the ceremony, Gen Bajwa visited the Yadgar-e-Shuhda for the last time as chief of army staff. Gen Munir had accompanied him during the visit.

Gen Munir was chosen to lead the country’s army by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on November 24. The summary of his appointment was approved by President Arif Alvi the same day.

PM Shehbaz calls COAS Gen Munir

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif telephoned COAS Gen Munir to congratulate him on assuming the charge. The premier said that it was a great honour for the armed forces to have a brave soldier like him as their commander-in-chief.

He assured Gen Munir that the government will continue to cooperate with him in matters related to the defence, security, and protection of the homeland.

Gen Asim Munir

Gen Asim Munir after taking charge of Pakistan Armys command during a ceremony at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, on November 29, 2022. — Screengrab/PTV
Gen Asim Munir after taking charge of Pakistan Army’s command during a ceremony at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, on November 29, 2022. — Screengrab/PTV

Gen Munir was commissioned in the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment in 1986. He passed out with the 17th Officers Training course, Mangla and was awarded the coveted sword of honour.

Before taking charge he was posted as the quartermaster general at the General Head Quarters.

Before taking charge as COAS, Gen Munir was also posted as a directing staff in Command and Staff College, Quetta, brigade major of a deployed infantry brigade in Kel, general staff officer, grade-2, CGS secretariat and chief of staff of Mangla corps.

Gen Munir has commanded the 23rd Frontier Force Regiment, Infantry Brigade, remained as a force commander in Northern Areas, Gilgit.

The incoming army chief has also served as the director general of Military Intelligence (MI).

In 2018, Gen Munir was appointed as the director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and later transferred as corps commander Gujranwala.

After heading the Gujranwala corps, he was posted as quartermaster general which was his last assignment before becoming COAS.

Gen Munir graduated from Fuji school Japan, Command and Staff College, Quetta, Malaysian Armed Forces College, Kuala Lumpur and National Defence University, Islamabad.

The general also has M Phil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from National Defence University.

Gen Munir has become the first army chief who has headed both — MI and ISI. He is also the first army chief awarded the Sword of Honour.

Gen Munir is a keen sportsman, avid reader, traveller and also a Hafiz e Quran.

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After taking an oath to lead JI, Hafiz Naeem declares an anti-government movement.

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The JI’s headquarters, Mansoora, hosted an oath-taking ceremony that was attended by workers, party leaders, and former chief of the party Sirajul Haq, Liaqat Baloch, and others from around the nation.

Speaking at the event, Hafiz Naeem—who was elected as the JI’s sixth Ameer—reaffirmed the party’s commitment to advancing its principles and goals and stated that he believed the JI would lead the nation as a whole.

He added that his party would start a broad campaign against the “fake democratic” process and Form 47, which the government “imposed.” He went on, “Workers should get ready for the movement.”

Hafiz Naeem further urged the JI to collaborate with like-minded groups who feel that the public mandate was “stolen” on February 8.

Hafiz Naeem succeeded Maulana Abul Ala Maududi (1941–72), Sirajul Haq (2013–2024), Qazi Hussain Ahmed (1987–2008), Munawer Hassan (2008–2013), and Mian Tufail Muhammad (1972–87) as the sixth individual to occupy the top spot in the party.

Sirajul Haq was replaced as Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan by Hafiz Naeem, who was elected earlier on April 4.

Voting was done by some 45,000 party members nationwide, according to the election commission that the JIP’s Majlis-e-Shura created.

Approximately 6,000 female party members participated in the election process, according to the election commission. There was a registered turnout of 82 percent overall.

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Hamid Raza says Nawaz Sharif used the Faizabad sit-in to criticize institutions.

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The individual asserted that they had proof of the PML-N’s betrayal during the 2017 Faizabad sit-in, citing knowledge of the protest from both General Faiz Hameed (Retd) and former Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa (Retd).

The PML-N workers in Rawalpindi were instructed to make sure that people participated in the sit-in, while the then-Punjab administration assisted in organizing it, according to Hamid Raza.

The head of the SIC said that while the goals of the Faizabad sit-in were correct, the event was deliberately planned to include individuals who carried signs criticizing government agencies.

During the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) sit-in, he said, workers for the PML-N were also among those who received money.

Remember that the investigation commission cleared former spy chief Faiz Hameed of all charges when it was established to look into the 2017 sit-in at the Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad.

To protest the changes made to the Election Act of 2017, which changed the word “oath” to “declaration,” the TLP staged a sit-in at the Faizabad junction on November 8, 2017.

In a submission to the Supreme Court, former PEMRA chairman Absar Alam said that pressure was applied to the media regulating body during the Faizabad sit-in by former ISI commander Faiz Hameed.

After the Fact-Finding Committee report was rejected by the Supreme Court, the federal government formed an inquiry commission led by retired Inspector General Akhtar Ali Shah.

The probe panel, however, handed the former intelligence head the clean pass in its 149-page report, which was released Thursday.

Faiz Hameed was granted authorization for the arrangement, according to the commission, by the then-DG ISI and Army Chief. Additionally included in the article was the inclusion of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and then-Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the arrangement.

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The IHC upholds Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail.

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Bushra Bibi’s request to be transferred from Bani Gala to Adiala Jail was granted by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday.

The former first lady Bushra Bibi’s application to be transferred from Bani Gala sub-jail to Adiala was heard today.

Details reveal that the Islamabad High Court heard a motion to restore the denied petition about the relocation of Bushra Bibi, the wife of PTI founder, from sub-jail Bani Gala to Adiala.

The application for the reinstatement of appeal was heard by Justice Miagul Hassan Aurangzeb. When state attorney Abdul Rehman entered the courtroom on behalf of the state, Usman Riaz Gill represented the former first lady.

State counsel did not object to the appeal being restored during court proceedings. At the following hearing, the court asked for assistance in determining what conditions must be met for a location to be designated as a sub-jail.

The court also mandated that Bushra Bibi’s medical examination be scheduled. The court subsequently delayed the hearing and gave instructions to fix the appeal for April 22.

Recall that the attorneys for former first lady Bushra Bibi, Barrister Salman Safdar, Usman Riaz Gill, and Khalid Yusuf Chaudhary, had filed an application to restore the dismissed appeal a day ago, but the Islamabad High Court had denied their request to pursue the case.

The petition contended that the traffic gridlock at the Sarina Chowk checkpoint was the reason for the delay in getting to the court.

The attorneys did not purposefully take their time getting to court. They warned that the petitioner would suffer irreversible loss if the petition was not resurrected.

IHC Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb has voiced his displeasure at the absence of attorneys from the court.

According to Judge Aurangzeb, the former first lady would have been imprisoned if Bushra Bibi’s attorneys had prevailed in this case. The attorneys themselves were opposed to Bushra Bibi’s incarceration.

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